Help with old school miller welder
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Printed Date: January-10-2025 at 1:02pm
Topic: Help with old school miller welder
Posted By: uk1979
Subject: Help with old school miller welder
Date Posted: May-16-2010 at 10:12pm
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Dug out the old Miller welder to repair my pylon, but last time it was used it worked but had no amp power to weld with, if someone could point me in the right direction on what it could be please do.
Its a Miller Gold Star Interlas,415v, serial no N323714. 
 ------------- Lets have a go 56 Starflite 77 SN 78 SN 80 BFN |
Replies:
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: May-17-2010 at 11:45am
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Roger,
Let me have a "go" as you would say over there!  You do have primary power correct and is it "humming"? Since you said you want to weld the pylon, I have to assume you're on AC. Check for volts on the secondary side of the primary transformer at terminals 27 and 28. S10 is the AC/DC switch. See if you are getting anything through it at 27 and 56. If the transformers are good (rarely go) then maybe it's just dirty/corroded contacts at S10. Switch it back and forth several times.
If by chance you're set on DC (shouldn't be for aluminum) then we'll start again. ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: May-17-2010 at 1:37pm
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Roger,
I had to run and attend something at work!  To check the DC output, you want to check it at 52 and 55 which is the output of the rectification bridge circuit.
Are you using a foot pedal amp control or just the contactor switch at the torch? ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
Posted By: uk1979
Date Posted: May-17-2010 at 2:28pm
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Thanks Pete for taking the time to look at this will check out voltage at those points,and give the old switches a few turns.
Yes I have the foot control that plugs in. Will report back after tests, if you don't here is not gone well and I'm toast.  ------------- Lets have a go 56 Starflite 77 SN 78 SN 80 BFN |
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: May-17-2010 at 3:22pm
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Roger,
Do you hear any relay click when the foot pedal is depressed or is the welder wired to a separate contactor control on the torch. You have two inputs on the welder: "contactor" and "amperage" ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
Posted By: uk1979
Date Posted: May-17-2010 at 9:21pm
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Pete both are wired into the foot pedal will run it up tomorrow and start checking it out. ------------- Lets have a go 56 Starflite 77 SN 78 SN 80 BFN |
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: May-17-2010 at 10:50pm
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Rog,
When you check the above terminals, you want the contactor tuned on. If you don't get any readings, then move onto the control circuit and see what you get at 29,30 and 43. These are the "induction" windings on the variable transformer. ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
Posted By: uk1979
Date Posted: May-22-2010 at 11:26pm
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Pete a quick up date,think I found the problem with the fuse on the high frequency, its a screw in type 10 amp called Buss not something we use over here shall see if I can repair it until I find new one.
I also email Miller on the chance they may have some info on it, they replied in less than 24 hours with a full wiring diagram and full operating manual now that's great service for a 46 year old welder, said it was born in 1964 so its still not at retiring age yet. few more pictures, 
 ------------- Lets have a go 56 Starflite 77 SN 78 SN 80 BFN |
Posted By: Gary S
Date Posted: May-22-2010 at 11:54pm
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Those are pretty common here Roger used in houses from about the early 60's on back. How about converting it to a more modern circut breaker, assuming you chaps have some like we use now ? ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1711&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1966&yrend=1970" rel="nofollow - 69 Mustang HM SS 95 Nautique Super Sport |
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: May-23-2010 at 12:31am
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Roger,
I thought yo said the high feq. was working?? Well. anyway, just as Gery mentioned,the fuse is very common over here. It's commonality refereed to as "Edison" base fuse because it shares the same screw base threads. But, the question still remains is why did it it bow? fuses, as you know are there for protection of overloads!! get a new new one and cross your fingers!!! BTW, it doesn't surprise me about Miller. They are the very best!! I wouldn't own anything but a Miller product with welding!! ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
Posted By: uk1979
Date Posted: May-23-2010 at 7:52am
Gary now that's a good idea, yes we have trip/breakers here now  and for our type fuse boards you can change the old fuse with a trip type that plugs straight in to the old board, is there something like that for this type of fuse, and will it work on the set with high feq and the radiation it emits and not keep tripping out,all this is well above my knowledge on electrics.
Sorry Pete if my expiation was poor to diagnose the problem and yes a very good point on why did it go in the first place,I hoping its the torch or leads to it. Thanks Guys Roger. ------------- Lets have a go 56 Starflite 77 SN 78 SN 80 BFN |
Posted By: eric lavine
Date Posted: May-23-2010 at 10:57am
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and to by-pass it, you put a penny in the hole then screw in the fuse lol ------------- "the things you own will start to own you" |
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: May-23-2010 at 12:05pm
As soon as I saw you had posted in this thread, I immediately thought to myself Eric's going to tell Roger to put a penny in the fuse socket!!! 
BTW, I don't think they have penny's over there! ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
eric lavine wrote:Posted By: eric lavine
Date Posted: May-24-2010 at 9:59am
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you been there too Pete. ------------- "the things you own will start to own you" |
Posted By: uk1979
Date Posted: May-24-2010 at 10:29am
Yes Pete we still have penny's here,and thanks Eric I think it worked 
 ------------- Lets have a go 56 Starflite 77 SN 78 SN 80 BFN |
Posted By: eric lavine
Date Posted: May-25-2010 at 9:56am
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that's a childhood memory, 1970 ish, using penny's in the fuse box. ------------- "the things you own will start to own you" |
Posted By: uk1979
Date Posted: June-04-2010 at 9:29pm
The old Miller is now back working, here are my first test welding of aluminum shall be practicing tomorrow before I go onto the pylon.
 ------------- Lets have a go 56 Starflite 77 SN 78 SN 80 BFN |
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: June-04-2010 at 11:28pm
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Roger,
Looks pretty good from this side of the pond!!! ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
Posted By: eric lavine
Date Posted: June-04-2010 at 11:47pm
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Pete, i NDA'd a penny to Roger...works pretty good!! ------------- "the things you own will start to own you" |